Exercise Digest

Sports – each activity has a specific demand on the body, and therefore different exercises apply. Select your sport for a quick reference of exercises that apply, and will enhance performance & prevention.

Strengthening – here you will find a variety of exercises that target specific groups of muscles. Each exercise has its own benefit by the way it challenges your body to grow stronger, no matter what your goal is. Choose a particular muscle group, or groups, to review clear directions, along with either pictures, and/or video.

These exercises involve controlled movement, and/or stabilization of body weight and/or external resistance through space and time, and performed in a series of sets, and repetitions. The purpose is to challenge the musculoskeletal system for better posture, stronger bones, improved strength, and reduce the risk and/or severity of an injury. Strength training also adds lean muscle to our frame, which is beneficial for increasing the ability to burn more calories at rest, due to the energy requirements to sustain muscle tissue activity. It is actually in the belly of the muscle where the most fat is burned.

Examples of Strength Training are: Push-ups, Pull-ups, back row, biceps curl, abdominal crunches, dumbbell shoulder press.

Note: Depending on fitness level, goal, and individual needs, certain exercises may not be deemed appropriate. Please use your best discretion before choosing to do an exercise. It is recommended to speak with a fitness professional for advice. If pain is experienced while attempting to do an exercise, safely cease activity, and seek medical attention.

Stretches – here you will find a variety of stretches, which will target specific muscle groups. The objective with stretching is to actively position the body and it’s limbs with the intention of lengthening and activating shortened, and therefore less efficient, muscle. The results of obtaining the optimal length of the muscles supports and or creates improved posture, aches and pain relief in muscles and joints, stiffness in muscles and joints, reduces risk of injury, and reduces stress in muscles.

One or more of these examples should be applied to most of the functional muscles in the body: static holds, active isolated stretches, and PNF stretching.

Note: Muscular imbalances are common and can result from multiple factors such as repetitive movement, being sedentary, loss of range of motion from injury, and even gravity. This means that there will be muscles in the body that are short or bound, and their antagonist muscle that is long or taught in comparison to its optimal length. Optimal length of a muscle means that it is the most efficient to produce contractile force. For obvious reasons stretching a long muscle will only perpetuate the imbalance, and may lead to injury. That is why it is recommended that a range of motion test be administered by a trained fitness professional to provide you with this important information.

Disclaimer: All exercises and stretches listed are options, and may or may not be appropriate for you current goals, physical condition, or specific needs. Before participating in physical activity that is viewed on AdvancedAthletics.com, please receive a complete physical from your doctor, and attain full clearance. AdvancedAthletics.com is providing fitness related information that is solely the opinion of Advanced Athletics, Inc., and is not a prescription of any kind from a licensed physical therapist or medical doctor. Making the choice to utilize the information found on this site for your own personal benefit is done at your own risk. Advanced Athletics, Inc. will not be held liable for any injury, illness, or accidental death that is related to information found on this website.

See complete Terms of Use